Rio Hardy (footballer)

Last updated
Rio Hardy
Rio Hardy Durham Women 2022 (sq cropped).jpg
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-06-29) 29 June 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth whitehaven, Cumbria, England
Position(s) Midfielder, Striker
Team information
Current team
 Rangers
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2014–2017 South Alabama Jaguars
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2018 Grindavík 15 (10)
2019–2021 Apollon Ladies
2021 Coventry United 11 (5)
2022–2023 Durham Women 30 (8)
2023– Rangers 7 (10)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rio Hardy (born 29 June 1996) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder or striker for Rangers.

Contents

Early life

Hardy grew up in Workington, England, [1] and attended the Stainburn School in the town. [2]

Youth career

As a youth player, Hardy joined the youth academy of Seaton Girls, helping the club win the County Cup. [3] After that, she joined the youth academy of English side Blackburn Rovers, helping the club reach the FA Youth Cup final, where they lost to the youth academy of English side Arsenal. [4]

College career

In 2014, Hardy joined the South Alabama Jaguars in the United States, where she was regarded as one of the team's most important players. [5] [6] She obtained a sports science degree. [7] She previously attended college in Accrington, England. [8]

Club career

In 2018, she signed for Icelandic side Grindavík, where she was regarded as one of the club's most important players. [9] [10] She helped them win the league and qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League. [11] In 2019, she signed for Cypriot side Apollon Ladies, where she captained the club and was regarded as one of their most important players. [12] In 2021, she signed for English side Coventry United, where she was regarded as one of the club's most important goalscorers, but left due to their liquidation. [13] In 2022, she trained with English side Aston Villa. [14] In 2023, she signed for Scottish side Rangers. [15]

International career

Hardy played for England Colleges at international youth level. [16]

Personal life

Hardy is the twin sister of English footballer Steffi Hardy. [17] She is a supporter of English Premier League side Manchester United. [18] Her family has been based in Workington, England. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumbria</span> Ceremonial county of England

Cumbria is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders the Scottish council areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders to the north, Northumberland and County Durham to the east, North Yorkshire to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. Its largest settlement is the city of Carlisle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Workington</span> Coastal town in Cumbria, England

Workington is a coastal town and civil parish at the mouth of the River Derwent on the west coast in Cumbria, England. At the 2011 census it had a population of 25,207.

The Academy of West Ham United F.C. is historically one of the most productive football academies in British football. This success has resulted in its nickname the Academy of Football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Caig</span> English footballer and coach

Antony Caig is an English football coach and former player, who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently the Head of Academy Goalkeeping for Premier League Club Newcastle United.

Sam Hardy was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Workington Town</span> English rugby league club

Workington Town is a semi-professional rugby league club based in Workington, West Cumbria, England. The club plays home games at Derwent Park and competes in the League One, the third tier of British rugby league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Purdham</span> Former England international rugby league footballer

Rob Purdham is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. An England international representative loose forward, he previously played for Whitehaven and London Broncos/Harlequins. Purdham also operated as a centre, stand-off or second-row. Purdham is a former captain of the England national team.

Willie Horne was an English rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s. He played for Great Britain, England, Lancashire and Barrow between 1943 and 1959 and captained all four sides as a round the corner style goal-kicking stand-off. He captained Great Britain in a test series against Australia (1952). In October 2014 he was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame, and is therefore regarded as one of the best 23 players in the history of the British game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gavin Skelton</span> English footballer (born 1981)

Gavin Richard Skelton is an English football coach, manager, and former professional footballer. As a player, he was primarily deployed as a defensive midfielder. He is the first-team coach of Carlisle United.

Brian Edgar was an English rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for Workington RFC, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain (captain), and England, and at club level for Workington Town, as a prop or second-row.

Norman Herbert was an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and England, and at club level for Workington Town, as a prop, i.e. number 8 or 10, during the era of contested scrums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Brough</span> English rugby league footballer (1903–1986)

James Wasdale Brough, also known by the nickname of 'Gentleman Jim' , was an English dual-code international rugby union, association football (soccer) footballer, and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s, and rugby league coach of the 1940s and 1950s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for England and Cumberland, and at club level for Silloth RUFC, as a fullback, and club level association football as an amateur for Liverpool, as a goalkeeper, and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain (captain), and England, and at club level for Leeds, as a fullback, or centre, and coached representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain, and at club level for Batley and Workington Town. Born in Silloth, Cumberland, England, he died in Workington, Cumbria, England.

Wayne Moffat Harrison is an English former professional footballer. He played for a number of teams in the Football League throughout his career, making over 90 league appearances. Alongside spells in non-league football, Harrison had a short foray into Finnish football in the 1980s when he signed for Oulun Palloseura and spent two seasons playing in their Premier Professional league and playing in 38 games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barker Crossing</span> Bridge in Workington

Barker Crossing was a pedestrian footbridge in Workington, Cumbria, England that crossed the River Derwent, and linked the north and south sides of the town. Army engineers built it in November 2009 after flooding put the town's bridges out of use, and removed it in February 2011. The bridge was named after police officer Bill Barker, who died when the Northside Bridge in Workington collapsed below him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garry Purdham</span> English rugby league footballer & murder victim

Garry John Purdham was an English professional rugby league player and farmer. He was killed in the 2010 Cumbria shootings.

The Cumbria rugby league team is an English representative rugby league team consisting of players who were born in the county of Cumbria and the historic county of Cumberland. They play fixtures against international representative sides, often acting as opposition in warm-up fixtures for touring international sides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egremont Rangers</span> English amateur rugby league club

Egremont Rangers is an amateur rugby league club in Egremont, Cumbria, which plays at Gillfoot Park and competes in the National Conference League Division 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Doran (rugby league)</span> English rugby league player

Jamie Doran is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a scrum-half or hooker for Whitehaven R.L.F.C. in RFL Championship.

William Pattinson, also known as Billy Pattinson, is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for the British Amateur Rugby League Association Great Britain Lions, England and Cumbria, and at club level for Broughton Moor ARLFC, Cockermouth ARLFC, and Workington Town, as a second-row or loose forward.

Jay Gibbs is a Welsh footballer who plays as a midfielder for Trearddur Bay United.

References

  1. ↑ "Rio and Steffi Hardy: The Cumbrian twins teaming up in Cyprus". bbc.com.
  2. ↑ "Rio Hardy proving instant hit". cumbriacrack.com (Archived).
  3. ↑ "Cumbria's homegrown footballing twins". newsandstar.co.uk.
  4. ↑ "Rio & Steffi Hardy: From five hour round trips to training to playing in Iceland".
  5. ↑ "Record-breaking Workington footballer Rio". timesandstar.co.uk.
  6. ↑ "Rio Hardy - Times and Star article".
  7. ↑ "How Rio and Steffi got to be professional footballers". newsandstar.co.uk.
  8. ↑ "Steffi Hardy went from the UK to Alabama to playing pro soccer in Cyprus".
  9. ↑ "Rio Hardy - Fotbolti article".
  10. ↑ "Hardy og Hewson best hjá gulum". vf.is.
  11. ↑ "Rio Hardy - It's All Sport To Me article".
  12. ↑ "Rio Hardy - Ginekio article".
  13. ↑ "Rio Hardy left in limbo". cumbriacrack.com (Archived).
  14. ↑ "Lifeline possibility for West Cumbria's Rio Hardy". cumbriacrack.com (Archived).
  15. ↑ "RIO HARDY: IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY I COULDN'T TURN DOWN".
  16. ↑ "Football's rising twin stars show their skills". newsandstar.co.uk.
  17. ↑ "Rio Hardy - News and Star article".
  18. ↑ "Rio Hardy Living the Dream". lastwordonsports.com.
  19. ↑ "Rio Hardy On Her Time At Durham Thus Far".


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.